Roman House Churches For Today (Student/Study Guide)

Placing Paul’s letter to the Romans in its cultural context, Reta Halteman Finger creates a simulation of the Roman house churches who first listened to the letter and its call for inclusion of both Jews and Gentiles in the People of God. Claiming we cannot understand Romans for our day unless we grasp its original setting, Finger has created an innovative book to help us understand more fully. She guides users of the book to recreate house churches as in first-century Rome. Through nine lessons from the Romans text, participants assume various roles, including that of Phoebe proclaiming Paul’s message afresh. The reactions of the listeners in this evocative situation shines new light on the universality, or lack thereof, of agreement on Paul’s meaning. The process allows for understanding of the transition and importance of these original house churches in a deeper fashion. This second edition includes more help for leaders of the simulation, and more for those who wish to do more thorough inductive study of Romans.